What a great start to the year by Arron Afflalo. We remember him out here in La La land from his college and prep days. Is there any chance of the Nuggets signing him to an extension anytime soon? Or will they wait until the off-season and risk losing him?

—Steve, Los Angeles

Steve, after reading your question, I brought up Afflalo with George Karl and he told me this pretty cool tidbit. Remember, Karl has been an NBA head coach since 1984:

“Arron is a joy to coach. He’s probably one of the most enjoyable guys I’ve ever coached.”

Ever. That’s pretty high praise.

Karl said that former Seattle guard Nate McMillan, now the Portland coach, is “probably my favorite player.” And he threw in Sam Cassell and Detlef Schrempf, who, incidentally, made a pretty funny cameo on “Parks and Recreation,” which also led to this back-and-forth:

Leslie: You’re never going to guess who I got as a VIP!

Tom: Who?

Leslie: Former Indiana Pacers small forward Detlef Schrempf.

Tom: THE Detlef Schrempf??

As for Afflalo’s contract, the Nuggets did not extend his deal by the early-season deadline. So he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer (meaning, of course, Denver can match any offer). There is, understandably, much uncertainty involving the new collective bargaining agreement. It’s possible that some players, ahem, could be more affordable, after the CBA is put into place.

As for Afflalo, Karl said that he is “consistently a get-better guy, which doesn’t happen that often in the NBA. He gets better almost every week in something. Now we’re studying more film with him (on defense). He definitely gets it.”

Hey Ben, do you think the Nuggets will continue to be plagued by their ability to win big games (Lakers on Nov. 11) and their inability to win the “easy games” (Bulls without Boozer and the PACERS?!)? Seems like this has been an issue for the last 2-3 years and can really hurt their playoff spot in the West.

—Tim, Boston

A Nuggets fan in Boston? Hope you’re surviving all the obnoxious Celtics fans out there. Yes, there is no question the Nuggets of recent years have risen to the level of competition. Consider this fact: Only the Nuggets and Cavaliers have defeated the NBA’s defending champion in each of the past seven years, and Denver made it eight-in-a-row with the win against the Lakers at Pepsi Center (Cleveland hasn’t played L.A. just yet, but I have a feeling they might lose both games).

I’m not here to make excuses for the Nuggets, but the two “easy games” you refer to were both on the road. The Bulls game was winnable, yes, so there is frustration there. But the Pacers game, well, it was Denver’s fourth game in five days and the Pacers had five Jimmy Chitwoods out there in the third quarter.

But yes, as the season progresses, Denver must clamp down on lesser opponents, notably in the friendly confines of the Pepsi Center.

Ben, if the Bulls struggle early in the season, how likely are they to change their stance on including Joakim Noah in a trade for Melo?

—Rob, Denver

From what I gauge, and from who I talk to in the league, I cannot see Chicago changing its stance on Noah. The guy has improved each season. He’s second in the league in rebounding (and was first until Kevin Love skewed the data with 187 rebounds against New York), he’s under a long-term deal and, once Carlos Boozer is back, they should have an even more formidable low-post, especially because both guys are versatile enough to play the high-post.

I can’t see Chicago making this deal with Denver unless the Nuggets take on the salary of Luol Deng, which is unlikely.

Why did the Nuggets extend Renaldo Balkman’s contract when he barely plays?

—Ben, Littleton

Well, consider that the Nuggets got Balkman at a bargain price. He signed for a little less money than he was making, in efforts to lock up the years. And at the time, the Nuggets had some high hopes for the super-athletic forward.

Now, he’s not practicing with focus and attention to detail. But Balkman is still pretty young and can still turn it around. Also, he is an asset for the Nuggets, who could use him in a trade if need be. Sometimes, guys just need a change of scenery.

One of the Melo trade rumors I saw with New Jersey included the Nuggets getting back Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy and Kris Humphries. All three of those players are power forwards. Why would the Nuggets want three more power forwards? The whole team is power forwards!

—Bill Wakeman, Littleton

Well, if Denver had pulled off that trade, there are two things to consider. Murphy is very perimeter-oriented and it’s not like Murphy would have been part of the new-look Nuggets. He has a hefty expiring contract, so similar to the Andrei Kirilenko rumor, he would have helped the team this season but then gone on his way.

But I don’t think the Nuggets will return to this type of deal. I still feel Melo will be dealt to Jersey for Favors, whom I wrote a Sunday column about, but I think Denver will get a better second player in the process, and, of course, some draft picks/cap space.

RC, all of this is determined before the season starts. And the home team has the call on if it wants to wear white or dark. The Hornets, for instance, wanted to wear their road jerseys at home, so Denver put on the whites.

Hi Ben, how do the Nuggets decide what jersey (light blue or dark blue) they wear on the road? Or is it just random?

—Liam, Sydney, Australia

Liam: what’s up in Sydney?! Hope things are going great. As we now know, the home team picks the color, but the Nuggets do have that third navy blue uniform, which they will wear about 10 times this season on the road. The creation of this jersey is, in part, to give fans another color option when they buy Nuggets gear.

Benjamin Hochman was a sports columnist for The Denver Post until August 2015 before leaving for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, his hometown newspaper. Hochman previously worked for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for its Hurricane Katrina coverage. Hochman wrote the Katrina-themed book “Fourth and New Orleans,” published in 2007.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyreek Hill didn’t know what to do when he started hearing thousands of people in Arrowhead Stadium chanting his name, even as he stood all alone on the frozen turf waiting for the punt.